


insomnia

by determination



Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 22:03:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13843932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/determination/pseuds/determination
Summary: when insomnia hits, it's good to get help from a good friend





	1. let me take care of you

**Author's Note:**

> this was a small series of fics inspired by my own dealings with bad insomnia and the only way i could think to deal with it was to write shukita fic lololol  
> the first two parts are kinda related but the last one is more standalone (and significantly shorter)  
> hope you enjoy and please no criticisms or critiques!

When Akira loses his footing for the third time during a fight in Mementos, Yusuke is the only one to notice. He'd noticed something was up from the getgo, from the leader's sluggish movements to his uncertain steps and the fact that most of his attacks have missed the target. 

Either the others are completely oblivious, or they're ignoring Akira's current state, which Yusuke finds rather disrespectful. 

He notices right away when Akira isn't going to make a proper landing, and hurries to support the leader, who seems surprised at his unexpected presence. 

"Hold on," he calls to Ryuji and Ann, who turn around from they had already begun rushing ahead with Morgana. "Joker needs a moment."

Akira's face scrunches up, and he tries to push Yusuke away, but his hands lack any real force. "No I don't, I'm fine," he mutters. Up close, Yusuke can now see the puffiness to his eyes, the bags underneath them visible from behind his mask, and the heaviness to his limbs as he props Akira up. 

"You most certainly are not," he scolds, wrapping one arm around Akira and freeing the other to gently cup Akira's face in his hand. "You're not fooling anyone, least of all me. You're completely off your game right now."

"I thought something seemed a little off," Ryuji remarks as he backtracks to join the two of them. Yusuke somehow doubts his statement. "You okay, Joker?"

"Now that you mention it..." Morgana hops over to land daintily on Yusuke's shoulder, examining the leader with a sharp gaze. "You look exhausted, Joker. Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

Akira's expression is stony as he gives up and lets himself lean fully against Yusuke. "I tried," he offers pathetically. 

"You tried?" Ann raises an eyebrow at him. "Doesn't sound like it was enough."

"You're telling me," Akira sighs, massaging his head with one hand. "Sorry for holding us back."

"You don't need to apologize for that," Yusuke assures him, just glad to be able to support the leader. "We should head back so you can rest." 

"I'll be fine if I just sit down for a bit," Akira shakes his head, but Yusuke refuses to back down so easily. 

"Nonsense. I'll take you back myself. Panther, Skull, Mona, the three of you can continue without us, I presume?

"Yeah, we got this," Ryuji gives him a thumbs up. 

"No problem. Take it easy, Joker," Ann offers a sympathetic smile and a pat to Akira's shoulder. 

"Rest assured, these two will be in good hands," Morgana bows, earning protests from his two companions about how  _ we're plenty capable on our own, thank you! _ Yusuke chuckles.

With that decided, he stoops in order to pluck Akira into his arms. Akira's eyes instantly widen. "Wh- Hang on! I can still walk!" 

"Humor me, will you?" His eyes twinkle as he waits for Akira's approval. The leader shrinks back a little, a blush dusting his cheeks visible beneath the edge of his mask. Finally, he sighs and settles more comfortably into Yusuke's arms.

"Thanks, Fox," he mumbles. From behind them, Ryuji wolf whistles and Ann quietly applauds with a look of satisfaction on her face. Morgana shakes his head but his expression betrays his amusement.

"Until later, then," Yusuke tips his head to his friends before setting off for Mementos' entrance. 

It isn't long before they arrive, and Yusuke sends them out of the Metaverse. Once outside, Akira begins trying to free himself from Yusuke's grasp, but the artist keeps a firm grip on him.

"You can put me down now," Akira says in exasperation.

"I think not," Yusuke replies smoothly. "How do you feel?"

Akira hesitates. "Honestly? Like my whole body is shutting down on me." True to his word, in the light Yusuke has a better view of the exhaustion clearly evident in his features.

"Then I will insist upon your allowing me to carry you back to your residence," he says, giving little room for objection. Still, Akira seems opposed to the idea.

"We'll be stared at," he mutters, blush more notable without the mask to hide it. Yusuke finds the color quite lovely.

"Will that be a problem? If anyone stares, that is their own choice without reference to us or our actions." Yusuke's reasoning makes sense to him, but Akira appears unconvinced. "If it will make you feel better, you may hide your face against my chest." 

That offer just makes Akira blush brighter. "You're..." he lets out a harried sigh,

averting his gaze. "...Inscrutable." Ah, Yusuke's smile widens, that's the sound of resignation.

"Hold on tight," he says softly, cradling Akira closer as he sets off. As instructed, Akira clings to him, and he soon feels the warmth of Akira's head against his chest. The sensation is so luxurious that he barely pays attention to anything else through the whole journey. He gently threads his fingers through Akira's hair, hoping the action will comfort him. 

By the time they reach Le Blanc, the blush is still prevalent on Akira's cheeks, but he does look somewhat more relaxed than earlier. 

"At least let me have the dignity of walking in on my own," he mutters, still averting his gaze. He's too cute, Yusuke thinks fondly.

"Certainly," he says, carefully helping Akira to the ground. Akira stumbles slightly once on his feet, and Yusuke is quick to reach out to steady him. 

"Sorry..." Akira sighs once more. "I guess I'm still a little lightheaded." 

"No problem. If you'll allow it, I'll help you inside," Yusuke gives Akira's hand a squeeze, pleased as Akira bites his lip and shoots him a flustered look. 

"Just... don't be too obvious, alright? I'd rather Sojiro didn't ask any questions."

"Understood." With a nod, Yusuke takes the lead in guiding Akira into the cafe, the scent of coffee washing over the pair of them.

"Oh, you're back-" Sojiro turns to greet Akira, stopping when he sees Yusuke with him. "...What are you two up to?"

Ah. Yusuke hesitates. Should he be honest? Is he supposed to make an excuse in this sort of situation? He doesn't really have any experience to go on. 

Fortunately, Akira takes over. "Studying. We'll be upstairs."

"Alright," Sojiro shrugs warily, watching the two of them head for the staircase. "I was gonna see if you would help out today, but it'd probably be better for you to study, anyway." He shrugs again, then turns around to finish the drink he's been in the midst of preparing.

Climbing the stairs seems to tire Akira out, as he readily collapses on his bed the second he reaches it, burying his face in his pillow.

"Are you alright?" Yusuke questions worriedly, moving to sit beside Akira and place a hand gingerly on his back. 

Akira grunts in response. "I'm super nauseous," he mumbles, words muffled. 

"Perhaps eating would help?" Yusuke massages small circles into Akira's back. "If Boss would let me, I could make you something bland, like ramen or soba."

"No, I don't think I could stomach it." Akira shifts to look at Yusuke, a pitiful pout on his face. "Thanks, though."

Yusuke frowns, uncertain what to do to help his poor friend. He knows, himself, just how detrimental sleep deprivation is, from the unique level of exhaustion, the loss of coordination, to the nausea and weakness, among other symptoms. Akira must be quite uncomfortable.

"What can I do?" he asks in earnest. If he's here, he wants to help, no matter what that entails. 

A soft sigh escapes Akira lips as he gazes thoughtfully at Yusuke. He seems to think long and hard before finally opening his arms and gesturing toward the artist. "Come here."

"Um..." Yusuke hesitates, feels the familiar heat of blush on his cheeks as he processes his friend's request. "What... do you mean?" No answer is given other than a more pointed beckoning with his arms. 

Confused, he complies and inches closer. Akira continues his gesture until he deems Yusuke close enough, and then, with a slow but decisive move, wraps his arms around Yusuke's waist. Despite the weakness of his tug, he'd caught Yusuke by surprise, and manages to pull him on top of him with relative ease.

"Um..!" Yusuke mutters, even more confused than before, but he starts to understand when Akira shifts their position, planting Yusuke beneath him and flopping gracelessly onto him with his head on Yusuke's chest. 

"Stay like this," is all Akira says before pressing against him, eyes closed in contentment. 

"I..." Yusuke tries to steady his heart rate to no avail. "I understand." 

If his simple presence will somehow alleviate his friend's discomfort and pain, he supposes this will be alright. 

Exhaling slowly, he gradually moves his arms to hold Akira, one wrapped around his back while he places the other gently on Akira's shoulder. Akira hums his approval. 

"Tell me..." Yusuke says after a moment. "How much sleep did you get last night?" He gazes curiously down at Akira, despite the other's eyes being closed.

"I didn't," Akira's response is short and quiet, earning a frown from his companion. 

"That's not good... you need your sleep to function. You should take better care of yourself."

"I don't want to hear that coming from you," Akira murmurs, bemused. Once again, blush spills across Yusuke's face. Perhaps he's right. Yusuke isn't exactly in the best position to lecture about self care when he's still not even sure how to practice it himself. "Besides, it's not like I did it on purpose. I'm not an insomniac, I just... occasionally can't sleep, for no reason. I lay awake for hours. Sometimes all night."

"I see..." Yusuke doesn't like the sound of that. The thought that Akira experiences something so unpleasant with no recourse or solution causes a dissatisfied pang in his chest. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Akira lifts his head and opens his eyes, seemingly surprised by Yusuke's question. He pauses to think, then rests back down. A familiar shade of pink has painted the tips of his ears. "I'm not sure. I guess... if it just so happens that you're awake when I can't sleep... maybe we could just talk or something." 

Yusuke nods eagerly. "I could do that, definitely."  _ Anything to help you _ . 

They lapse into silence, but not an uncomfortable one. He's pleased to hear Akira's breath evening out, his eyes once again closed. He looks peaceful. If he weren't currently claiming Yusuke for a pillow, he'd want to sketch the scene before him. He supposes he'll have to remember it for later.

After a short while, though, he notices that Akira's heart is still beating rather fast. Concern for his friend overrides his desire to keep quiet and try to let him rest.

"Are you alright?" he asks hesitantly.

Akira stiffens. "Yeah. Why...?"

"Your heart rate is worrisome. It's quite fast, especially when you should be resting," Yusuke explains. "I just thought..."

"That's not..." Akira cuts himself off, loosing an exasperated sigh.  _ Not what? _ Yusuke wonders. He waits for Akira to go on, but he remains silent, though his cheeks are noticeably rosier than before.

He's about to coax his friend for an answer when Akira speaks again, voice an embarrassed mumble. "... It's not because of feeling ill. Aren't you paying attention? Your heart's beating fast, too."

"Oh?" On cue, Yusuke does notice the persistent thumping in his chest, loud and clear once it had been pointed out to him.

But why? Is it... simply because of being close to Akira like this? Is that the reason? And... would that then mean that the reason for Akira's rapid heartbeat is... because of being close to him?

That thought makes him feel exceptionally warm inside. 

Wordlessly, he holds Akira a little closer, running his fingers through Akira's hair. He's not sure what to say, but he wants to convey that he's content with their position. 

"Yusuke?" Akira murmurs. He sounds significantly more tired now, which Yusuke is pleased to hear.

"Yes?"

Akira shifts slightly, then nuzzles into Yusuke, the sensation sparking a fluttery feeling in his chest. "Thanks for coming with me."

Yusuke smiles. "My pleasure." He pauses, contemplating something. Might as well. He leans over to plant a soft kiss to the top of Akira's head. "Sweet dreams."

 


	2. following up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an offer was made, and Yusuke follows up when Akira still can't sleep

"You must be tired. Let's sleep!"

Morgana had said those words, oh, at least an hour ago if Akira's any good at perceiving time. He's laying in bed, blanket pulled up to his chin, gazing aimlessly at the ceiling. He's been like this ever since he had laid down, the cat beside him falling asleep long before.

He's not an insomniac by any means. He rarely has trouble falling asleep, and staying asleep is even easier. However, nights like these do occasionally pop up, unwarranted, yet Akira knows he can't do anything about it. 

With a quiet sigh, he glances over at the snoozing cat. Deeply asleep. Probably wouldn't awaken to any movement. He slowly reaches around the cat to grab his phone from where he'd left it. 

Who else could be awake at this hour, he wonders. 

Ann? Not a chance. Knowing her, she's probably passed out with a frilly sleep mask over her eyes, beauty sleep and all that. 

Ryuji? It's almost certain. But, if anything, he's preoccupied with some game and wouldn't see Akira's message until he'd already fallen asleep, and would then proceed to wake him up with a late response. He speaks from experience.

Yusuke? Now... he's not sure. He still has no idea what Yusuke's sleeping habits are like, and even if he were awake, he'd probably be busy working on a painting or a concept sketch or something. 

That's when he remembers Yusuke's promise from before. That Akira could contact him when he can't sleep, no matter the time. Loosing an anticipatory sigh, Akira types up a short message.

_ Akira 3:23 am _

_ You up? _

After silencing his phone, he contemplates setting the device aside, but to his surprise, the reply comes much quicker than he anticipated. 

_ Yusuke 3:24 _

_ Yes. Is something the matter? Do you need assistance? _

An amused smile breaks across his face at his friend's concerned words.

_ Akira 3:25 _

_ Nothing's wrong. Can't sleep is all. If you're not busy, do you want to talk for a bit? _

He hopes he's not being too forward. He worries his uncertainty of how to express his request will come off as strange or uncharacteristic. However, Yusuke doesn't seem to mind (or pick up on it, at any rate).

_ Yusuke 3:26  _

_ Of course! I just decided to take a break. Cramp in my hand. Texting will be a little difficult. May I call you? _

Akira blinks at his phone screen, rereading the last message with a furrowed brow. He likes that idea quite a bit, actually. Talking aloud is more appealing than waiting for text replies, but there's still Morgana to be worried about. Movements might not wake the cat, but he's fairly certain noise will. 

Still, hearing Yusuke's voice would definitely make him feel better. 

_ Akira 3:27 _

_ Fine with me. Can you do the talking, though? I don't wanna wake up Morgana. _

He pauses before hitting send, then amends a little bit to the message.

_ He'd never let me hear the end of it if he knew I wasn't asleep right now lol _

He awaits Yusuke's next response with baited breath, but it never comes. Instead, his phone screen shows the incoming call from his friend, which he answers immediately.

"Hey," he says as quietly as he can manage.

"That was fast," Yusuke's deep voice reaches his ear, a pleasant warmth accompanying it. Akira can't help but smile. "Don't tell me you were anxiously anticipating my call?"

"I've just got my phone in my hand, that's all," Akira lets out a soft laugh, shifting to turn away from Morgana and hold the phone closer. "Thanks for calling even when it's this late."

"It's no trouble," Yusuke says amiably, and Akira can almost picture the dismissive hand wave he'd give as if to scold Akira for even considering that he might be inconvenienced. "I couldn't bare to avoid offering my services to a dear friend in need. Plus, it gives me a chance to rest my hand." 

"Good," Akira murmurs. For some reason, he can already feel himself growing a little more sleepy just listening to the sound of Yusuke's voice. It's so...reassuring. Comforting. Maybe this will help after all. "Talk to me," he encourages, stifling a yawn. "Tell about what you're working on or about your day."

"Gladly!" Yusuke's eager response earns another quiet laugh. "You see, I went out earlier today..." 

For the most part, Akira's only half paying attention. It might be unfair, but it's easier for him to just listen to the low hum of Yusuke's voice, gentle and relaxing, that he finds it hard to really hear exactly what he's saying. He does mumble noises of acknowledgment to assure Yusuke he's listening, though. 

Gradually, the sleepiness begins to win over despite his best efforts to keep listening. Yusuke is so pleasant a speaker that Akira thinks he could probably do ASMR videos if he wanted to. He’d be like Bob Ross or something.

"Someone sounds like they're falling asleep," Yusuke comments, evidently amused.

"'M not," Akira mumbles unconvincingly. Yusuke laughs. "Keep talking. You're not allowed to hang up until I'm knocked out, okay?" His words are somewhat slurred by the sudden wave of tiredness.

"You sound adorable," Yusuke laughs again. Akira blushes. "As you wish, then."

And so, Akira lies there, phone propped against his ear as Yusuke somehow finds something else to talk about. 

This is something he could definitely get used to. Akira thinks he's probably smitten. Especially when he considers the idea of sleeping beside Yusuke and being able to fall asleep listening to him in person. What an excessively indulgent concept. He loves it.

He doesn't register when Yusuke checks in to see if he's still awake. He does, however, catch the unbridled affection in Yusuke's voice as he murmurs, "Goodnight, dear one. Sweet dreams." 

Akira smiles as he drifts off to sleep, phone slipping to fall onto the pillow beside him.


	3. no sleep yet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> less about insomnia, more choosing to stay awake for a purpose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was kind of unrelated but i figured i'd include it because it still has to do with sleeping lol  
> just short and sweet fluff bc i love these two sdkghk

Even without looking at his phone, Yusuke can tell the hour is late. The crick in his neck, the familiar soreness in his arms and back, the blanketing silence signifying the rest of the world's retiring while he still toils away.

Stretching, Yusuke twists his neck until he feels a satisfying crack, then straightens to observe his handiwork. The painting, despite his misgivings when he'd started, is turning out better than anticipated. The bright colors, the off center focal point, the details he's spent hours perfecting. Somehow, he'd managed to pull it together, and not a day too soon, as this assignment is due at the end of the week.

He has Akira to thank for that. He has only good memories of the afternoon he'd spent with his dear friend, people-watching in the underground mall. They'd chatted aimlessly, made up back stories for any interesting persons, and enjoyed some sweets from the convenience store. Akira always treats him, for which he is always grateful. 

Spending time with Akira leaves him, without fail, feeling inspired, motivated, like he could turn the smallest idea into a beautiful piece of art. That's just Akira's effect, managing to bring the best out of Yusuke even when Yusuke is wallowing in self pity.

He smiles. Akira truly is something. 

Satisfied with his work for the night, Yusuke sets to washing his brushes and scrubbing the dry paint from his fingers. Some of it is caked on, to the point that it simply refuses to wash off, but he doesn't mind. He likes to think that it shows just how passionate he is; that, and Akira has commented before about how beautiful he finds Yusuke's paint-stained hands, marked by the fruits of his labor. 

Throwing a cover over the painting, Yusuke moves to change out of his clothes and shrugs into the oversized shirt he wears to sleep. 

When he lies down, tugging his blanket up, a wave of exhaustion washes over him. Still, he chooses not to sleep, instead flipping onto his back to stare at the ceiling. 

He holds his phone above him, noting the time to be 4am, and contemplates. Part of him desperately wants to send a message to Akira. But, it's probably way too late for that, not to mention he'd have no idea what to say. 

In spite of his reasoning, though, the urge doesn't leave. He wants, no matter how inconvenient or unnecessary, to speak to Akira. Amazing, how strong a desire like this can be.

Decision practically already made, he opens a new message, wracking his mind for sufficient words. What to say...

 

_ Yusuke 4:04 _

_ I hope you are sleeping well. Rest up, and have a good day tomorrow, dearest Akira. _

 

Content, he hits send. After making sure his alarm is set, he puts his phone on the space beside his pillow, allows his eyes to slip closed.

He'll see Akira tomorrow. Perhaps he'll even have a chance to show him the painting he's been working on. 

Those thoughts lull him to a warm, pleasant slumber.

 

He wakes up to a scolding reply of _"Just how late were you up?!"_ which only causes him to chuckle fondly. 

 


End file.
